Electric shaver



P. KOBLER ELECTRIC SHAVER Oct 9, 1956 Filed Dec. 23, 1952 United States Patent C) ELECTRIC SHAVER Paul Kobler, Lynbroolr, N. Y. Application December 23, 1952, Serial No. 327,526

Claims. (Cl. 310-47) It is well known, that electric shavers often need only a cleaning of the contact points and they run again, whereas without this cleaning of the contact points, the electric current does not flow any more from one contact point to the other on account of the oxidation of these points or on account of tiny particles of dust between them. This causes a customer to send the shaver to the repair department, while in reality a quick cleaning of the contact points would put the shaver immediately in perfect condition. Each repair costs money and sometimes quite some time may be lost. On the other hand :a layman in mechanical matters has not the courage to open the casing of the electric shaver. To overcome this disadvantage, the following invention has been made, which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in .which Fig. 1 is a top view of the shaver with the upper part of the casing taken ofi.

Fig. 2 is a side view in cross section of Fig. 1.

The shaving apparatus, according to the invention includes one or several cutting heads, designated in a general manner by reference character 1 and a handle 2, advantageously made of a molded matter, for instance Bakelite, which forms a casing in which an electric motor, in this case a motor of the contact breaker type, is housed for driving, with reciprocating or rotary motion a cutting knife which is part of the shearing head. It is of course immaterial how this shearhead is shaped. As also the shape of the casing is immaterial. The heads and shapes of all electric shavers vary. It is also immaterial where the contact points are located in the shaver casing, as this too varies with all makes of electric shavers. I refer for instance to Dalkowitz 2,281,753 of record, where Fig. 1 shows two pairs of contact points. This invention covers also the Dalkowitz arrangement of contact points.

In my drawings Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 the contact points are marked with 3 and 4. Fig. 1 shows the contact points open. The contact points are attached to levers 5 and 6. Lever 6 has a turning point 7 and lever 5 has a turning point 8. Of course the mechanism allowing the motion of the contact points may have any variation. The essential characteristic of this invention is, that a cleaning element is shown, which element goes between the contact points. This element 9 is part of a mechanism, which is actuated from outside the shaver casing. Another object of the invention is, that a spring action helps to clean the contact points. Another object of the invention is that there are means to lock the mechanism which cleans the contact points, while the shaver is in action.

Lever 10 forms a handle outside the electric shaver casing. Then lever 10 is connected to the cleaning element 9 by a shaft which passes through a bushing 11. The bushing or support 11 has inside a spring 12 around said shaft of the lever 10. This spring 12 constantly pushes the other end of lever 10 with the contact cleaning means away from the contact points. When lever 6 with contact point 4 closes the gap between the .contact points 3 and 4 a nose 13 on lever 6 slides underneath lever 10 whereby this cleaning mechanism is locked. The cleaning means 9 may also be tapered, whereby the contact points may be spread apart. Spring 12 inside support 11 also allows a certain sideways motion of lever 10 with the cleaning means 9. This increases the contact cleaning effect. In Fig. 2 we see the end of lever 10 with the cleaning means between the contact points. By moving handle 10 up and down or up and down and a trifle in and outside, the contact cleaning means make the same motions and rub the contact points 3 and 4 absolutely clean. Fig. 2 also shows how the contact cleaning means can be taken away from the contact points as indicated by dotted lines of element 9.

It is understood that the part going between the contact points with the purpose to clean them may be out of dilferent materials, out of carbon, soft iron or other suitable material.

It is the motion of the cleaning part 9 on the surface of the contact point together with the suitable material of part 9 that cleans most efficiently the contact surface.

While I have in the above description, with reference to the drawings, disclosed what I consider to be practical and an eificient embodiment of the present invention, I wish to say, that a different mechanical motion of cleaning part 9 would not depart from the principle of the present invention, as comprehended within the scope of the accompanying claims.

What I claim is:

1. In an electric shaver a motor of the contact breaker type, the motor being inside the casing of the electric shaver, a contact cleaning element adapted to be moved into rubbing engagement with at least one of said contacts, means for actuating said contact cleaning element, said means movably supported, whereby said cleaning element is able to move over the surface of at least one contact point, for cleaning said contact point, said cleaning element when in operation being in the current break-- ing area of at least one contact point.

2. In an electric shaver a motor of the contact breaker type, the motor being inside the casing of the electric shaver, a contact cleaning element adapted to be moved into rubbing engagement with at least one of said contacts, means for actuating said contact cleaning element, said means movably supported, whereby said cleaning element is able to move over the surface of at least one: contact point, for cleaning said contact point, said cleaning element when in operation being in the current breaking area of at least one contact point and the means for actuating said contact cleaning element partly protrudingoutside the shaver casing, for convenient operation of said actuating means.

3. In an electric shaver a motor of the contact breaker type, the motor being inside the casing of the electric shaver, a contact cleaning element adapted to be moved. into rubbing engagement with at least one of said con tacts, means for actuating said contact cleaning element, said means movably supported, whereby said cleaning element is able to move over the surface of at least onecontact point, for cleaning said contact point, said cleaning element when in operation being in the current breaking area of at least one contact point, and a spring actu-- ating on said means whereby the cleaning element is kept away from the contact point when such contact point is: in action.

4. In an electric shaver a motor of the contact breaker element when in operation being in the current breaking area of at least one contact point, and a spring actuating on said means whereby the cleaning element is kept away from the contact point which such contact point is in action, said spring allowing also a sideways motion of the cleaning element while such cleaning element moves over the surface of the contact point, resulting in a greater friction between cleaning element and contact point.

5. in an electric shaver a motor of the contact breaker type, the motor being inside the casing of the electric shaver, a contact cleaning element adapted to be moved into rubbing engagement with at least one of said contacts, means for actuating said contact cleaning element, said means movably supported, whereby said cleaning element is able to move over the surface of at least one contact point, for cleaning said contact point, said cleaning element when in operation being in the current break- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES BATENTS 1,300,637 Oglesby Apr. 15, 1919 1,54l,334 Dremel June 9, 1925 2,262,391 Dallgowitz Nov. 11, 1941 2,281,753 Dalkowitz May 5, 1942 2,286,629 Kobler et al. June 16, 1942 2,567,976 Spinasse et al Sept. 18, 1951 

